Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-13
AUGUSTA LIT BY FLAMES.
THE MASONIC TEMPLE AND
OTHER BUILDINGS IN RUINS.

II IA hAooN1O FAAND
OTHER BUILDINGS IN RUINS.
An Aggregate Loss of $500. 900 Nearly
Covered by Insurance-rhe Fire Starts
the Stage of the Thestre-The
Bowers Company Lose Their Cos
TUNES.
AUGUSTA, GA, Feb. ia terrible fire
ragged here tonight. The town was lit up
from market TO market, a distance of
mile and a half, and everybody was wild
with excitement. The fire department
seemed powerless to check the flames
and most disastrous conhagration was
predicted.
The fire originated at 6 o'clock in the
Masonic building, in which was also the
theatre. The flames spread with incredi-
bic rapidity, and the magnificent structure
was completely enveloped before the fire
department reached the scene. The men
went to work with will. however, and
streams OF water were soon rushing into
the roaring furnace from every vantage
point the fremen could gain.
The splendid Masonic hall and theatre,
where the fire orig mated, the Globe Hotel,
the stores OF DAILY & Armstrong and those
of Bailey a. Coskerey were already gutted
at 1880 O'Clock; aud the Central Hotel, j.
B. Whites extensive wholesale and re-
tail stores, A. j. Gouley's shoe house, the
Chronicle office and Intervening build
lngs were seriously threatened.
UNDER CONTROL.
At 10 O'Clock, however, the fire was
under control. The Masonic building,
large and imposing structure on Broad
street, and the opera house, In which
Mrs. Bowers played Lady Audley's
secret at the matinee this afternoon, and
the large stores of DAILY and Armstrong,
and Bailey d. Coskery were totally de-
stroyed. The Globe Hotel, Central Hotel
and the stores of j. b. White & Co., were
badly damaged. Mrs. Bowers and her
company los: their wardrobes. The ire
was still burning, but there was no
apprehension of further damage. Sev-
eral small stores were also destroyed.
THE LOSSES.
The corrected losses are as follows,
fully covered by insurance:
Masonic theatre building, fixtures, and
Masonic paraphernalia, $50, 900.
DAILY d Armstrong, on stock $4,000.
Bailey g. Coskerey, on stock $6, 700.
o. X. Clothing House, $4,000.
j. b. White, clothing and shoes, S37,
800.
Globe Hotel, $4,000.
L. Leibsher, isn dealer, $1,000.
W. A. Ramsey. provisions, $4,000.
r. l.. Nixon, produce, $500.
John Cartwright, bar. So, 900.
Mcintosh d Roberts, BARRIERS, $4,000.
Benson & Co., cigars and tobacco, So, 200.
LOSS OF THE BOWERS COMPANY.
The Bowers Company had their entire
wardrobe in the theatre. and it was lost.
Manager John Richie was seen by
the NEws correspondent. He said
the loss to the company would
approximate 100000, Mrs. Bowers
wardrobe alone being valued at $40, 600.
Manager Ritchie says he will cancel all
dates for a month ahead, and he and his
company will return to New York for
new outfit, as it is impossible to fit up
again III the South. A cold wave had
been predicted for tonight and the heat
ing apparatus of the theatre had been put
In operation and from a defective flue or
other lrregularity the fire is supposed to
have occurred.
FALLING WALLS.
The falling walls at times threatened
death to the fremen, and the escape of
all without a scratch is miraculous. Had
the fire occurred two hours earlier or an
hour later the loss of lite would have been
fearful. Mrs. Bowers had captured
the town and was drawing the
largest houses of the sea-
son. Seven hundred reserved seats
Eadsbeen secured for the night perform
ance, and an hour later the opera house
would have been packed. While Augusta
is sorrowful for her loss, many prayer
has been offered in thanksgiving that the
fire did not occur wDen the house was
packed with loved ones.
THIEVES AT WORK.
During the fire the IOoting was terrible
and thousands OF dollars worth of goods
were stolen by thieves. The police were
powerless. The cigar store of Benson, on
the corner of Broad and jackson streets,
was the mecca OF thieves, and about one
fifth of the entire stock of cigars and to-
Dacco was carried away. The new paid
fire department did splendid work, and
their control OF the fire just at the time
when it was thought the whole town was
doomed was splendid. .
THE CHRONICLES PERIL.
President Walsh, of the Chronicle, or
dered his presses aud type to be in readi-
ness for transportation from the ChronI-
Gle building, which is eight doors from
the Theatre, and when this fact became
known the whole town was wild, and the
proprietors OF the stores on the block
opened up their doors and prepared to
move out. At 1890 O'Clock a brisk
breeze that was blowing lulled and this
aided the hremen. The latest estimates
place the aggregate losses at $200, 900,
pretty we'll covered by insurance in num-
bers Of companies. Theatrical companies
having dates have telegraphed
their willingness to play in the Market
hall, and all attractions will fulfill their
engagements.
Late tonight it was stated by q gentle
man who was among the first to discover
the fire, that 1t burst out from the stage
portion of the theatre building, from
both sides of the housau05uED taneously.